It is remarkable just how many people know, in their heads, that the end of the age is near and that the return of the Christ is close. News men who know little about what the Bible says can quote many portions when they want to describe tragic events in the world. Few of them, however, really believe what they are saying.

They speak of Armageddon when they see such events. They speak of "do unto others" when they observe poverty, homelessness, and war. They talk of love when something negative affects the things or people they favor. In fact, the world knows enough to be saved, and to follow the path of a believer. But their hearts are not inclined to do such things. How do men pick up these ideas? Does God talk to men today? Yes, but mostly what is said is overlooked or completely missed. Truth is spiritually discerned. This means that there must be a capacity for recognizing spiritual things.

God's Fingerprints Are on All His Works
Even the pagan priests in Egypt recognized this (Exodus 8:19). The finger of God transferred it all to writing at Sinai (Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 9:10). The prints are yet on His works, and even men of the world can see them when they are willing to do so. Special miracles are shown at times so that men may know that it is God's hand (Luke 11:20). Since men, however, are always ready for some outward demonstration God only does this to confirm what is spoken or written. Once that is done one seeks in vain for such again. God does not want us to keep on asking for miracles just for our own good in the physical body (1 Corinthians 13:8-10).

Before the written Word God put marks or signs before our eyes so that only the darkness in our own hearts would prevent us from seeing Him. Usually a written word, or a man of God speaking it, is necessary for one to recognize God's doing.

Who would have known the meaning of the cloud had there not been Moses to explain to it them? How much false religion today would be laid aside if men but knew that signs and wonders are meaningless if God has not ordained such. This is why it is so important to have a "thus saith the Lord God" in the Word for all our practices as well as all our beliefs. Even these must be kept in context and provided with special discernment by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14). One hundred thirty-four times in the Scriptures between Isaiah and Obadiah is this phrase found. Another two hundred seventy-nine times it is "thus saith the LORD." These begin in Exodus and continue to Malachi. If only men would hear the voice of the Lord or see His hand in their daily lives! These last are specially significant, being references to Jehovah.

Two Facts Mark the References to His Coming
The references above are typical in manifesting the pertinent facts, which stand as warnings, of the Lord's return.

1) Repeated instructions to walk in obedience before the Lord, and…
2) God's judgment upon men. Let us take the second listing here first.

Any passage which tells us that He is coming back to this earth will be found to include the fact of His being the just Judge who will deal with all men when He returns.

He has been ordained of God to be the Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42).

He Has Appointed a Day
Many speak of things being "as certain as death and taxes," but the better thought is that it is as certain as Christ's return and His judgment (Matthew 25:31-45; John 5:22, 23).

A Mental Quirk
One of the characteristics of the human mind is that we remember what we want to remember. This is how we learn. It is not a bad quality. But men treat this as they do so many other features of their own makeup and of God's creation, we remember what we like.

Regarding death and the life hereafter, the thing we want to remember is that God is good. He loves men. He gave His Son to die for them. (I speak of believers in Christ.) "One goes to heaven at death." At least this is what we want to believe, though this completely ignores much of what the Bible says and to whom it is spoken. When Paul spoke of departing to be with Christ he had reference to himself and to those who were His covenant people, those who had walked in obedience before Him. We want to believe that if we have ever trusted Jesus as Savior we shall certainly go to live in heaven. I wonder how many actually think of going to live with Christ, in His presence!

Here is how the Scriptures put it:

Since this is the way it is to be, even to a covenant people, it behooves us to become particularly conscious of just why this is and what it may mean to us. "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:48).

This puts the judgment at the end of this age, so there is nothing positively said about where one goes at death unless he belongs to Christ and is faithfully hearing His words and obeying Him. Of such it is said:

I am aware that Jesus said (John 5:24) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." This does not contradict the words of Paul (2 Corinthians 5:10) "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things [done] in [his] body, according to that he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad. Jesus was speaking to those "hearing" and "believing" God.

Such are said to have eternal life, that quality of life which belongs to the next age. It is received in this life. The First Epistle of John explains in some detail how one may know whether he has made this progress in His life, not merely that he has been saved initially. Such a person does not stand before God in judgment, though we must all stand before the judgment seat (Gk., bema) of Christ. Why is this? So each may receive (reward) according to that he has done, whether good or bad. This judgment before Christ the Great King will determine whether one has qualified to reign with Christ in the Millennium. He does not come into judgment as an alien sinner. The matter of one's having trusted Jesus was settled in this life. Our ultimate reward must await the finishing of our works. After all, a man's life-works are not finished when he dies.

The works do not follow one on into heaven, but they follow on here in the world, wielding their good or evil influence in the lives of those whom we have influenced while we were alive in the flesh.

Now let us consider that other factor always present in references to the Lord's return, that is, our obedience. Many times the Lord's servants are admonished to be worthy, and in each case it is often "walk worthy" (Colossians 1:10) "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;" (See also: Ephesians 4:1 and 1 Thessalonians 2:12).

How Does One Walk Worthy?
Two things are mentioned in the passage (Colossians 1:10);
1) Being fruitful in every good work, and
2) increasing in the knowledge of God.

The context gives some detail as to just what these might include: (v. 11) "Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness." This introduces us to His power to be patient, longsuffering, and joyful, and gives us the desire to be thankful and to praise the Father who has made us worthy to be partakers of the saints "in light" (v. 12). Can you begin to see how spiritual growth proceeds?

What Is Spiritual Knowledge?
It all stemmed from what Paul said and wrote to the Colossians, based on their love in the spirit (v. 8) --

Our "love in the Spirit" is invariably tied with our "knowledge of His will." It is obvious that those who do not know much at all about the Word of God are little inclined to obey. But a knowledge of the Word is not the knowledge we mean here, or at least it is not the fullness of it. Observe that it expresses a need that one be "filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." This describes a personal, experimental knowledge.

One may have a head full of facts and not truly know Christ. We know Him as we humble ourselves before Him, grow to love Him dearly, and incline to commune with Him regularly. Perhaps here is the great lack among believers, church members, today, who are regularly present at church, but who do not take part in their hearts. Their minds are on the clock and when we can get away to do or enjoy in the flesh something far different from spiritual knowledge of God's will.

We may know it is God's will for us to take proper nourishment on a regular basis for the good of our health, but we do not call this spiritual knowledge. We may know that he expects us to live happy, uncluttered or burdened with the overwhelming facts of life in the flesh, but neither is this spiritual knowledge. Spiritual knowledge is that communicated to our hearts concerning the Christ, His nature, His promises, and His desires for each of us.

This is spiritual because it is such as one seldom thinks of because it is fact, or because he read it in a book or heard it in a sermon. It is knowledge which the Holy Spirit has opened to the heart and made rich with promise and hope. Such lifts up the soul, gives joy and peace.

Let me try to express it again. It is a fact that none of us does as well as he knows. Teaching people the consequences of their actions still does not prevent their going astray. It is good to know the facts, for based upon the facts God can give us a knowledge of His will, but He does this only as we are yielded in our hearts to Him personally.

It is this personal knowledge of the Christ as our Savior, Lord, Friend, Judge which must come home to the heart. In human love we know the blessedness of nearness, of tenderness, of pleasing. In that degree we nourish such knowledge and strengthen our human relationships do we come to feel the sweetness of the relationships. Confidence must lie at the center of such knowledge. Only where trust motivates our responses can we genuinely enjoy sweet relationships.

God has allowed corresponding emotions which we experience in human relationships to show in our spiritual relationship with Him. If one can feel and appreciate the father he knows here in this life it gives him a measure of appreciation that God is a dear Father above. If one knows and cherishes the relationship of a son or a daughter he has another measure of that relationship. This too can give us a better appreciation for our relationship to God in the spirit.

Then there is the lover relationship when a man for a time can take into his life and feel the restraint it puts upon his nature and the challenges he finds in a willingness to please someone because he loves her. She too begins to realize what it is like to feel the desire to please him.

The whole earth sings the praise of a mother and dares to accept the elements of tenderness, fidelity, suffering in care for her children, sacrificing for others. Even siblings learn the yearning of carefulness for the welfare of others. In all of these relationships there is also the possibility for selfishness to damage or even destroy the tenderness of such relationships.

Time allows any of these to grow and become more precious. Or they can develop into feuds, family disruptions, and the worst kind of hate. We ask what kind of moth4er would drown her small sons. It is the selfish person, who thinks only of her own feelings. Can we not see that knowledge of facts is not enough. It takes an experimental knowledge?

Can we not now begin to appreciate the clause: "in all spiritual wisdom and understanding," and that other, "filled with the knowledge of his will: (cf. Colossians 1:10)? We can only understand spiritual things, including spiritual relationships, as God allows us to compare or contrast them with natural things and relationships. Even so, with all the facts in our heads there is still the lack of that dimension which gives us the peace and the joy of the Lord in these relationships. Call it emotion, if you will, but even emotions are a part of God's image which He created in us for our good and His glory.

We may feel it was a weakness on the part of our fathers and mothers that they shouted for joy over certain things brought to their attention in the services at church, and they wept for joy or with the burden of certain things. It was no weakness. The fact only tells us that as we have extended and developed our capacity to think, increase the knowledge of facts, and to put names to certain conditions (we call this psychology), we at the same time have dulled or blunted our capacity to enjoy the good conditions (emotions) and hate the bad ones.

The so-called science of psychology has largely substituted itself into the area of spiritual experience until for many it has destroyed the beauty, the reality of spiritual relationships. Why, possibly because it has been so busy transferring blame, so each of us can escape the consequences of our feelings, until we overlook or forget our personal responsibility to maintain such relationships with God and our spiritual brethren.

Get the Picture of Spiritual Knowledge
Preachers have not avoided this error, this evil, It is time that we "awake out of sleep" -

When one finds comfort he may interpret it for "peace" but it is not the same. This means of avoiding the "pricks" (goads) of conviction is a dangerous subterfuge. In such one has only deceived himself. We even have a phrase we use to report it to others: "I am all right." But in truth, one is far from all right. His senses are dulled. Outwardly his morals may not be so bad, but neither is his life blessed with tenderness, love of brethren, zeal for Truth, concern for God's righteousness in his life and in the lives of his brethren.

A preacher may bring a message filled with the facts of spiritual truth, supported by Scripture at every step, and still come out "as dry as dust." Is the truth boring? Surely not, but I hasten to point out that "the flesh" hates the Truth, By "the flesh" we refer to the natural man. A man, the way he is by nature, self interested, self-seeking, is walking according to the flesh.

This natural way of living is the ordinary manner of men in the world. Their thinking their logic, their desires, are all out of consideration for their flesh, the natural man (Romans 2:28) "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither [is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:"

Here we see how that even God's natural people lived by their feelings, even when presuming to fulfill the will of God through His law. Those things which the law prescribed to govern the natural man *the flesh) ought to be considered as parallels to spiritual truth which is not natural. Rather, it is supernatural.

If that sermon filled with the facts of the Scriptures are heard, even if they are presented by the preacher, as mere fact, without consideration of the meaning of that truth, then the flesh (natural man) is "turned off." We need "ears to hear" spiritual truth. Both Old and New Testaments point out the need for such capacity to hear (Deuteronomy 29:4; Ezekiel 12:2; Matthew 11:15; Matthew 13:9; et al).

If the preacher seems not to have it, in that it does not stir his own heart, then how can his audience hear it? They will only be bored. This very real problem shows us how narrow is our thinking and how lacking is our response.

Satan Omits No Area of Our Lives
Romans 14:16: "Let not then your good be evil spoken of:" This text shows how Satan could make an issue of foods, habits, culture, and even debase the Truth to serve the flesh. We are his victims if we so live so as to allow what God condemns but maintain a standard of morals acceptable to the majority in the world. Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit is the theme of the kingdom (Romans 14:17). This is the disposition of so many church members in our day. The Truth does not touch their hearts, hence is ineffective in their lives.

I spoke at chapel one day in a school for young preachers and other young people anxious to serve the Lord. I used simple, expository principles to deal with a passage from our Lord's Words. These students surrounded me afterward, obviously thrilled at what God had spoken to their hearts. They wanted to know how they could learn to preach in such manner. I told them that they must read the Word with hearts ready to hear what God says. Then they must humble themselves before Him, sincerely desiring and asking that the Truth become manifest in one's life. He can then go before a congregation with the truth burning his own heart and speak it as God's grace will allow him to speak and it will thrill the hearers who have ears to hear. It is not boring; it blesses the speaker and it thrills and blesses the honest hearers.

All of God's Word is living and has the power to do this. Any portion which bores us, or angers us, or puts us to sleep, is not truly being heard with ears to hear (cf. Hebrews 4:12). God will give discernment to one who has yielded to His direction, humbling the heart to Him and obeying known directions for the life.

Perhaps most of our doubts and failure to understand comes from sin in our own lives, even if no more than a will to do certain things or in certain ways not according to His directions. We can be sincerely wrong about what we should do or should be doing. Confession of such a possibility may go far toward clearing up any unclear portion of God's Word.

The Meaning of Being Ready
Do we feel we are ready because we have received assurance that we are saved? This is only a part of the truth.

There is the need of watchfulness, meaning a carefulness about our personal relationship to God at all times, for He is surely coming, and that to judge the quick and the dead, meaning those alive and those already passed on. If such a judgment is certain we need to be mindful of the reasons for it.

This is said to be "at His appearing and His kingdom." -

Paul's Second Epistle to Timothy deals with the end time and admonishes to faithfulness. We have evidently come to those days and are finding the very conditions which Paul there describes. A young preacher is admonished, yea, charged to preach the Word the more earnestly because of the "falling away" which was to come in that time. Obviously it is now upon us. So those of us who know what is charged must be the more earnest and clear in what we are setting forth.

The very purpose for the preaching of the Gospel is set forth in 1 Peter 4:6 --

Have you thought of the Gospel in this light? Do you say that the Gospel was that Christ died for our sins so that we could be eternally saved from hell? Yes, but note something else in this passage: It is preached to men who are dead, so they may be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the Spirit. May we look more closely at this passage (1 Peter 4:10). It says that inasmuch as Christ suffered in the flesh we should arm ourselves with the same mind. Why? Because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.

The mind of Christ was to make an end of sins (Daniel 9:24). In His life in the flesh He did not sin, though tested as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:18). A number of sins are mentioned in 1 Peter 4:1, 5, and it is taught that we should be dead to all of these and live according to God by the Spirit.

There is a deep truth in the Gospel which we may have missed. Included is the idea that God became flesh so that we might escape the limitations of the flesh brought on by the fall of Adam. When we grasp the mystery of the Gospel it is that by faith we die to sin when we commit ourselves to Christ and willingly identify with Him. This is done by faith though the act of baptism shows it outwardly. Thus, in His death at Calvary we died to sin. In His resurrection we are raised to walk in a new kind of life.

Baptism depicts both aspects of this event. Paul teaches that in this faith-obedience we are able to walk in newness of life. If we truly die to sin then we believe we shall rise to this new life (See this thought in Romans 6:1-10). I think what we are missing is in thinking that the resurrection is of the physical body. It was, in Christ's case, and it will be in ours if we have truly died with Him. "Living with Him" (Romans 6:8) has reference to the present. As death has no dominion over Christ since His resurrection, so we escape the dominion of death as He did (Romans 6:9). So must faith reckon our position as "dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ," (Romans 6:11).

We do not conclude that our being saved from hell eradicates the sin nature. We are to reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. This is an act of faith. When we are able to commit ourselves to such a resurrection life God will supply the grace to forego the demands of the flesh toward sin and to yield our bodies ("members") as instruments of righteousness, and not to sin. Thus sin will not have dominion over us, grace being dominant in our lives, even in our wills (Romans 6:13, 14). It cannot reign in our bodies any longer, and so we live unto God. This is possible only as we "have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered" to us (Romans 6:17).

So now we are not mustering energy and effort to do good things, but we simply yield our members to righteousness unto holiness. Peter and Paul's language deal with the same thing. Peter said that the time past should suffice us to have done the will of the Gentiles -- natural men in the flesh (1 Peter 4:3).

So we should not serve the flesh any longer (v. 2). Paul says that "now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life," (Romans 6:22). Grace is available now.

Judgment is certain hereafter. Are we ready for His coming? I hope we can see that it takes much more than simply trusting Jesus to save us from hell. More, even, than baptism and external acts of obedience. I trust that you can see how important it is that we pray for His coming.

"Thy kingdom come!"
(Matthew 6:10; Luke 11:2)